Short answer: the Sony XB23. It ranks #64 of 136 medium speakers by sound quality at $100; the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 ranks #88 and costs $105, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Sony XB23 offers: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life. Watch for: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max
What the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 offers: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app. Watch for: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Buy the Sony XB23. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 and costs less, so the other one has nothing left to offer.
Water resistance is not close: the Ultimate Ears Boom 4 is rated at IP67 (brief submersion), well ahead of the Sony XB23 at IPX4 (splashing).
Specifications Side By Side
| Sony XB23 | Ultimate Ears Boom 4 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $100 | $105 |
| Ranked | #64 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers | #88 of 136 in Medium Size Portable Bluetooth Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz | - |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max Volume | 95dB | 85dBC |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) | - |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 580 g | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 | 5.1 |
| Dimensions | 3" x 8.6" x 3" (76 x 218 x 76 mm) | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Output Power | 8W RMS | - |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC | - |
| Built in Microphone | Yes | No |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) | Yes (via app) |
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) | Yes |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| IP Rating | IPX4 | IP67 |
| Digital Aux Input | No | No |
| Omnidirectional | No | No |
| Power Input | - | USB-C |
| Stereo | - | Yes |
| TWS | - | Yes |
| Power Bank | - | No |
| Aux Input | - | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- JBL Charge 5 vs JBL Flip 4
- Bose Soundlink Mini vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- JBL Charge Essential vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Roll 2
- JBL Grip vs Ultimate Ears Boom 4
Prices on this page were last checked August 27, 2026 at 10:09 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Sony XB23: $100 eBay
Pros: Reasonably neutral. IP67 rated with a strap hook for backpacks. USB-C charging; up to 12 hour battery life.
Cons: Bass drops off a ton at high levels. Reduces its own volume over time when turned to max
Full Sony XB23 review and specifications →
| App | Yes (Sony Music Center) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 67Hz |
| Battery Life | 12 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Codecs | SBC, AAC, LDAC |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.0 |
| Built in Microphone | Yes |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 3" x 8.6" x 3" (76 x 218 x 76 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 42x51mm X-Balanced racetrack drivers + 2x passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (3-band: bass, mid, treble) |
| IP Rating | IPX4 |
| Max Volume | 95dB |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Output Power | 8W RMS |
| Party Mode | Yes (Party Connect up to 100 speakers) |
| Weight | 1.3 lbs / 580 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Alan Ross Reviews: Sony XB23 vs JBL Flip 5 v Tribit Maxsound Plus More from alanrossreviews →
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- GYMCADDY: Sony XE200 Review And Compared to Sony XB23 - It Got The XE300 Treatment More from GYMCADDY →
- Reddit Search for Sony XB23 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Ultimate Ears Boom 4: $105 Amazon eBay
Pros: IP67 rated, floats, and finally charges via USB-C instead of the older Booms’ Micro-USB. 15 hour battery. Customizable EQ and speaker-pairing via the UE app.
Cons: Not much improvement over the old ones. Weak bass extension and thuddy bass. Gets distorted above 90%
Full Ultimate Ears Boom 4 review and specifications →
| App | Yes |
|---|---|
| Aux Input | No |
| Battery Life | 15 hours (Manufacturer specified) |
| Bluetooth Version | 5.1 |
| Built in Microphone | No |
| Digital Aux Input | No |
| Dimensions | 7.2" x 2.9" x 2.9" (184 x 73 x 73 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 1.57" (40mm) active drivers + 2x 1.81" x 2.57" (46.1 x 65.2mm) passive radiators |
| EQ | Yes (via app) |
| IP Rating | IP67 |
| Max Volume | 85dBC |
| Omnidirectional | No |
| Power Bank | No |
| Power Input | USB-C |
| Stereo | Yes |
| TWS | Yes |
| Weight | 1.4 lbs / 620 g |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Boom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Klipsch Groove/Heritage Groove
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 2
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 3
- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4
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- Ultimate Ears Boom 4 vs Tribit Stormbox
- See all 74 comparisons